Now’s the Time

by Timothy F. Rogers

If you haven’t taken time to go down to the River, now is the time.

I’m talking about the Edisto River; especially the part between the last miles of the South & North Forks and just before you get to the old Cope Power Plant, where it looks sorta like before the white man came.

Anyway, if you don’t see the River regularly, it beckons to you particularly hard. We just finished our first full weekend in June. The temperature is balanced so that it is not too cool in the night and not too warm in the daytime (most days).

So if you have not hosed the water off your john boat, now is the time.

If you have not gotten your Evinrude back from the dealer yet, all rehabbed and ready to go, now is the time. You don’t want any detail like that to slow you down.

You want to be able to taste that ham, eggs & grits early in the morning as the fog rises off the River.

You want to be able to see the spring birds in their natural environment: Red-Headed Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, Swallows, Wood Duck, Great Blue Heron.

You want to see the critters: the gators, frogs, river otters, turtles, squirrels, rabbits, turkeys, foxes, deer.

The snakes are abundant, too. Most of them won’t harm you, but a couple will -- especially the Water Moccasin and the Eastern Diamond-Back Rattler. So, be careful where you step!

The forest is bountiful by now. The Bald Cypress, the Willow and Water Oaks, Maple and Sweetgum are all greened out. The Dogwood has finished its blooming cycle for the most part, leaving the Wild Blueberry and the Wild Azalea as notable sites on the forest floor. And it’s all magically framed by spanish moss which hangs everywhere and seemingly clings to everything.

Then there’s the Edisto: the mighty, majestic, dominating force. The blackwater is more beautiful than you remember. It’s the longest blackwater river on the continent and it’s all right here in South Carolina. Can you believe it?

It’s not too soon to strip down and taste the River up close and personal! It’s guaranteed to cool off a hot spring afternoon.

Oh! I almost forgot the fish! You won’t see them unless you ‘fish’ them out, but they’re there: Redbreast, Bluebream, Big Mouth Bass, Channel Catfish.

At the end of a day-long cruise down the River, a good shower is preventative against the Red Bugs! You may forget about this seasonal pest, but you will remember if they get a hold of you! At that point, remedy is the name of the game.

It’s not true that Maker’s Mark will give added protection against Red Bugs. But it will add perspective to thinking back over a day on the beautiful Edisto.